Not a shockable society of magic diets, product ‘experts,’ company secrets

Magic diets that will make you lose 6 inches of waistline overnight? Or the newly discovered secrets of how to save money on your mortgage? Or the petition that somebody fears? All bull. When I see stuff like that on the Web or in the papers, all it does is turn me off.

The things that really get to me are short articles by supposed “healthful eating experts,” which are complete opposites of each other. Some are statements made by the same “expert.” For example, one article was about 1 percent milk. “Don’t ever drink 1 percent milk,” it advised. Too much sugar, traces of animal waste and several other reasons for never drinking 1 percent milk. My first reaction was, “Isn’t that the same as saying that mothers shouldn’t breast-feed their babies?” There is more sugar in mother’s milk than in cow’s milk. But that’s not what I’m getting to.

The same expert a few weeks later was extolling the virtues of 2 percent milk. All that protein and calcium, things that were essential elements of good nutrition and not that much fat. Besides, a little fat makes for endurance.

So, which do you believe? My answer is neither. They have proven that they are not really experts and are not really doing anything but selling sensational copy.

How about the secrets companies that insure cars don’t want you to know? They’re not secrets at all, just elements of insurance law that someone is hyping to sell their brand of insurance. Just don’t buy it. Do your own homework instead.

How many times have they tried to “shock” you with stories of TV stars’ new romantic adventures? There’s something new every day: So-and-so’s revealing dress or new breast enhancement or change in boyfriends or girlfriends. I’m just not shockable anymore.

Sign this petition that this or that politician “fears.” From what I have seen, petitions are mostly not to scare politicians, they are to get people to send money and to build address books. I think most establishment politicians are so secure in their jobs that petitions are no more than background noise.

There are probably another half-dozen public relations hype topics I can write about, but that would be redundant. I think you see what I am talking about. I have run out of hype adrenalin. I don’t get angry or excited over prospects, buying magic products or sending money to political causes or wondering about groups that are going to change the world. I’ll deal with problems and try to solve them in my own way.

You are probably wondering why I’m telling you all this stuff. Well, I’ll explain. I’m just a regular American like so many others: my neighbors, my friends and some of my readers.

I just want to share my observations because they may be like yours: longtime undefined and undeclared. Now I have told you how I feel.

Maybe you will examine how you feel about the same things. People are trying to get us to do things for their benefit with emotions rather than facts. I don’t want any part of it anymore. How about you?